San Diego music veteran Harold Gee continues the painstaking process of developing precious negatives from the glory days of the San Diego underground scene, then digitizing them for his Flickr set.
Here’s a new one that captures the essence of a larger-than-life figure from that era: the late Steve Epeneter on stage at Studio 517, the club he managed and the inspiration for the Wallflowers’ classic “Paradise on 4th Avenue.”
Soon after the founding of this blog, Ray Brandes reminisced about Steve and his role in the creation of Studio 517: “Steve was one of the biggest people I have ever met, both literally and figuratively. He stood over 6’7” tall, with a voice that would shake the asbestos tiles from the ceiling, and he had a generosity and a personality to match.” Harold’s photo captures that expansive spirit wonderfully.
As Harold points out in his notes, Margarat Nee is seated in the foreground; can we reconstruct the rest of the audience?
The Wallflowers had their rehearsal studio in the basement at Greenwich Village West. It was a really great underground space (literally), and the building famously backed right onto Steve’s place at 517 4th Avenue. We could stand on the roof and look right down into his backyard. Sometimes we’d see him over there and yell down to him. In fact, even though, or maybe precisely because, the roof at GVW was really rickety, the band used to go up there before shows and we’d take turns standing on the pillar at the corner of the building, six or seven stories up. It was the perfect way to get your adrenaline pumping before we headed off to play. Fortunately, the plaster never gave way, and so no Wallflower ever fell to his death in Steve’s backyard.
Some of my best memories from back in the day are when there were shows simultaneously at both places, and there’d be people cruising between the two places, famously once on a Halloween night (1985?). There were ghosts and clowns and all sorts of costumed figures packed into the fire escapes, down the stairs to the basement and all over the whole block, like one big underground paradise. Steve was like a mentor, a really crazy but very generous guy that shared his experience and his deep love of music with us, and taught us a lot. “Paradise on 4th Avenue” is of course dedicated to him.
When I am mayor of San Diego some day (I’ll just be mayor of the downtown, the city council can run the rest of the city), my platform will be:
-- Historical markers on the site of Studio 517, along with the former sites of Greenwich Village West, the Skeleton Club, and the Zebra Club (and Funland, of course), which will read “It was here that San Diego Underground Music Happened Once A Long Time Ago”
-- Also, the de-gentrification of the Gaslamp Quarter, and welcoming back home all the peeps it really belongs to.
@Dave,
Yeah. You bring it right back. That was Halloween ’84. I was living in GVW that year. ’85 was in SFO -- that Halloween was the legendary costumed Morlocks gig in 181 Eddy St.
Your ’84 recollections are of a fantastic evening. GVW, Studio 517 and after-hours at Zoe’s Gaslamp warehouse loft. Everybody was flooding the streets ’round what was, one great, decrepit neighbourhood.
Steve Epeneter took a lot of good-natured sh*t about his size. That Halloween, the “Lurch doesn’t need a costume” comments were a bit thick. The man was a sweetheart, for taking this from us children.
Great photograph!
Steve was always an inspiration and full of grandiose ideas for the TTH. He had a storyline for an MTV style video that he wanted to write and direct (he was so exited about it just listening to him flesh it out for us was hilarious). One time he acted as our “roadie/sound man” at a high school dance where we performed, he absolutely insisted we stop on the way so he could buy brown socks (we were already very late I’m sure). I was so used to him in the element of Studio 517 it was a trip to see him in the outside world, away from the Gaslamp.
Halloween in ’84, extremely fun night…Super Schnapps, Nestle’s Quick, green martian costume. Walking around the Gaslamp. The TTH played at Zoe’s, and after the last song I found the wall behind me, slid down. Pat Works was beside me, handed me a funny cigarette. I woke up the next morning (in the same spot) with guitar still attached to an empty loft.
I think you guys are conflating two or three different Halloweens. The party in Zoe’s loft was 1984 (Saturday, October 27), and a different night altogether then the 517/GVW showst. Jerry, I’m almost certain the exodus to SFO occurred in 1986 rather than 1985. The Hearts played with the Chesterfield Kings at the Backdoor in NOvember of 1985, and I am certain all of the soon-to-be expatriats were still here. That would put the Morlock Halloween party in 1986. In ’85 I’m pretty sure the TTHs played a party at a community center someplace--I was dressed in a ridiculous flamenco costume, Stax went as a Nazi and Eric--you were a cigarette, remember? 1986 the TTHs played (with Peter) at the Normal Heights Community Center, which was memorable to me because we played an impromptu “Brown Sugar” . . .
In any case, that’s a great photo of Steve. I think that’s Mark Featherman sitting next to Margarat Nee. Anybody want to take a guess on what show this is?
1. Here’s the 1984 loft party, as recounted by Claudia Brandes … I defer to Ray that it was Oct. 27 … The Tell-Tale Hearts are clearly playing.
2. Here’s the Oct. 31, 1984, Greenwich Village West gig, which included the Morlocks, Noise 292, Hair Theatre, the Wallflowers and Cindy Lee Berryhill …
3. And here’s the Studio 517 gig, also on Oct. 31, 1984, featuring the Tell-Tale Hearts and the Rockin’ Dogs.
(From a purely personal perspective, Halloween ’84 feels like the end of that era for me. The next year, I was in 3 Guys called Jesus and dressed as a Pannikin breakfast at someone’s party in North County.)
Eric, Heh. 🙂
Absolutely right. That captures the Epeneter joie de vivre! An infectious, big-hearted man.
Thanks, Matt. I got all the parties right! I was beginning to think that I “couldn’t remember the ’60’s.”
I was in SFO in ’85, around August. ‘Cos I do remember turning 21, that November… Wow. What I don’t remember is doing another flyer with Garris.
The Halloween show I remember going on at both “clubs” was 1984. The Rockin’ Dogs played at 517… that was right after I quit the band. Mostly it was a great time… other than a fight in the doorway of 517 where someone was getting badly beaten up.
A de-gentrification of downtown would be great. Get rid of all the cars so we could just pull up and park on a Sat. night… you can’t even imagine that was once possible.
Matt, I remember those bills, so I think we got the right year. Wow, that was such a fun night. The GVW guys were pretty skitish about shows, I remember one the owners nervously asking me, “oh man, a lot of people are here, maybe we should close it down!”. Hahaha ummm yeah that’s the idea guys!
I have an image in my head of the crowd standing out on the first floor fire escape all dressed up in their Halloween gear. Also, that night I wore this blue stripped jacket, it looked like I’d stollen it from a circus clown. I figured it was Halloween, so I could get a away with it, but then I liked that jacket so much that I just started wearing it all the time.
Dave, I’m going to put up signs saying “Che Underground Parking Only” during my mayorship, so you’re good to go.
Well…………………….
My brain is on fire again, what’s new.
First thing about Halloween that pops in my mind is a party at Dirks parents house near the beach, maybe 81,82 or 83 ?
Jerry,
Remind me of the legendary costumed Morlocks gig in 181 Eddy St.
I think I played a Wallflowers gig in Mira Mesa, must not of been on Halloween?
Only long lost photos will fix my skull.
I’m with Mark. I’m glad you all remember this so well. I wish I had pictures.
More to my point
I did not remember Steve Epeneter to save my life. After seeing the picture here- lots come back. It’s all coming back in a haze, Recoreded first Morlock album there………Seeing it through the haze now.
Thanks Che site for these posts. At least for me, much of this would be locked up on top of my shoulders.
Was “steve” “the giant”? The fellow who kind of ran studio 517? He was very tall, and a really neat, different guy? Let me know if I have the wrong guy- because yeah- a couple stories. I think Joel and Dan either aren’t here or are holding out.
I only knew Steve as “Lurch” but not his real name.
Kristi, your post takes me back. Yeah, downtown was the one little spot in San Diego that had an old urban feeling, with all the old brick buildings, some over 2 stories even! I remember they took out 7 blocks of those buildings to make the hideous stucco Horton Plaza shopping center (which I hung out at quite often). In high school, a group of my friends called ourselves the Horton Plaza Glee Club when Horton Plaza was just an old fountain where a lot of bums slept.
What I remember of Steve is that he was imposing in size but very friendly, and he genuinely appreciated the music and wasn’t just trying to get the kiddies’ money. (Although I don’t remember getting paid by almost any club, but that’s another story). I recall the drummer of Hair Theatre, Steve Broach, saying he ran a series of quasi-successful ventures, with Studio 517 being the latest one at that time.
Lloyd once told me a story about Steve (The giant- I’m paraphrasing here- that is what Lloyd called him.) Lloyd was used to being the craziest guy in the room, and he was no bargain in a fight. If i recall correctly, Lloyd told me he somehow challenged Steve after hours at studio 517 and as things progressed steve just kind of picked Lloyd up and slammed him onto the concrete floor. I dont recall anyone doing that to Lloyd, but Lloyd was very forthright in admitting that steve did that to him. I remember “the giant” (as we always knew steve as) to be a really nice guy, and I always felt very diminutive around him. 😉 Take care- Tob.